Automatic doffing mechanism for textile processing machine



M. STEIN March 22, 1960 AUTOMATIC DOFFING MECHANISM FOR TEXTILEPROCESSING MACHINE Filed Jan. 18. 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENT ORMARCELL size/N ATTORNEYS- M. STEIN March 22, 1960 AUTOMATIC DOFFINGMECHANISM FOR TEXTILE PROCESSING MACHINE Filed Jan. 18, 1956 5Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENI'OR MARCELL STE\N BY 777065 gawk ATTORNEY M. STElN2,929,570

AUTOMATIC DOFFING MECHANISM FOR TEXTILE PROCESSING MACHINE March 22,1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 18. 1956 S m 5M Tm m N B 0 VT ww S u 0a W M 9 .9 H

Y B m March 22, 1960 M. STEIN 2,929,570

AUTOMATIC DOFFING MECHANISM FOR TEXTILE PROCESSING MACHINE Filed Jan.18, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 7 [2 v INVENTOR MAMELL STE\N BY 7770016. \L[gawk ATTORNEYS March 22, 1960 M. STEIN 2,929,570

AUTOMATIC DOFFING MECHANISM FOR TEXTILE PROCESSING MACHINE Filed Jan.18, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 5' MENTOR mmceu STEIN BY Wad -1 f k ATTORNEYS,sucl1 portions of the lap turn a 2,9295% Patented Mar. 22, 1960AUTOMATIC 1301* i ENG MECHANISM FOR TEXTILE PRGQESSING MACHINE MarcelStein, Budapest, Hungary Appiication January 18, 1956, Serial No.559,994

14 Claims. (Cl. 242-55.1)

This invention relates to automatic dofi'ing mechanisms or lap dofiersfor textile processing machines.

The hitherto known automatic dofling mechanisms or cotton lap dofiersfor lap winding machines have considerably intricate mechanism.

Furthermore, they require specially controlled mechanical devices forthe detachment of the complete lap rolls or a specially controlled motorwhereby the doffing apparatus is likewise rendered intricate. Also, theracks had to be undesirably long on account of dofiing the lap roll andintroducing the lap rod, an inconvenience the elimination of which hasbeen suggested by composing the bottom portion of the racks of severalmembers.

Finally, with the hitherto known mechanisms the reversal or wrapping onof the lap is not satisfactory and the braking of the racks has to bedelayed when starting the lap roll so as to warrant the possibility ofremoval of the lap rod from within the lap roll. Such a delay of thebraking action entails that thelap is only partly subjected to a draftwhen starting the lap roll and thus out to be heavier than the remainderof the lap roll. Thereby one of the most important advantages of theautomatic lap doffers, that is a lap with evenly distributed weightthroughout the length thereof, becomes impaired.

The present invention consists in an automatic lapdofting mechanism forlap winding machines of the type in which a lap is wound on drivenfluted carrier rolls under pressure from rack heads of racks whichperform upward and downward movements so as to doff a complete lap rolland feed an empty lap rod after a predetermined length of lap has beenobtained, the carrier rolls being adapted to be driven at a uniformspeed from a scutcher through a one-way clutch, and in which areversible motor drive is provided for imparting a positive reciprocalvertical motion to the racks and increased rotational motion to thecarrier rolls with respect to their uniform speed due to the scutcherduring the upward stroke of the racks associated with dolfing so as todetach the lap while the scutcher is running, for which purpose aone-way clutch oppositely positive to said first mentioned one-wayclutch is provided between the reversible motor drive and the flutedcarrier rolls, there being control means provided adapted to be actuatedin the extreme positions of the racks and reversing the reversible motordrive.

The doffing of the complete lap roll and the introducing of the emptylap rod has hitherto been performed by at least two pairs ofconstructional units Whereas with the preferred embodiment of theinvention both these operational steps are effected each by means of ale pair of lever organs arranged on both sides or the machine. With apreferable embodiment of the invention the pair of levers mounted on theracks is urged by means of springs so as to be constantly pressedupwards. With upward movement of the racks the pairwise arranged leversbecome pushed downwards against the action of the springs by thejournals of the lap'rod supporting the complete lap roll so that thelatter glides, by means of the journals of the lap rod, down alongslides or guide rails formed by the levers in an apron known per se. Assoon as the journals of the lap rod supporting the complete lap rollhave parted with the levers, the latter are snapped up by the action ofthe tensioned springs. In this position they are suitably locked orbolted. Then, the levers occupy a position which permits the new orempty lap rod to be lifted off its preparatory position and to beintroduced in its working position. I

In such a position the inclination of the levers is opposite to thatassociated with dofling the complete lap roll. Abutments provided orformed on the racks are adapted to lift the lap rod from its restposition in the frame of the machine onto the lever arms occupying theirabove described locked or bolted position and into guide formingportions thereof, respectively. The disadvantageous dropping movement ofthe lap rod is obviated by a suitable form of the machine. During thedownward movement of racks the empty lap rod is led by the frame of themachine because of the inclination of the levers therealong in theanglebetween the levers and the racks. The lap rod is guided by the racksinto its operational position along this perpendicular. Adjacent to thelowmost position of the racks the pair of levers becomes unlocked byabutments arranged on the frame of the machine so that they are againready for dofiing the next complete roll. Lifting and lowering of thelevers can-instead of by means of the springsbe effected through themedium of a counterweight or, with a preferable embodiment, by means ofan abutment (roller) attached to the frame of the machine.

The lift of the racks may preferably be decreased by forming the armssupporting the preparatory empty lap rod as double-armed levers. One ofthe arms is provided for supporting the preparatory lap rod whereas theother arm is acted upon by a yielding force such as a spring so as tokeep the levers in their rest positions. The abutments arranged on theracks cause with upward movement thereof the levers to be angularlydisplaced against the action of the yielding force whereby the armsupporting the lap rod and the lap rod proper are moved downward. Thelift of the racks is decreased by the amount of the downward movement ofthe lap rod. The lift of the racks will preferably be decreased so as tobe just sufiicient for dofiing the complete lap roll. In such cases thetransfer of the laprod to the pairwise arranged levers on the racks isefiected during the downward movement of the latter. By such a decreaseof the lift of the racks it is, alternatively, rendered possible toenable the temporary accelerated motion of both front fluted carrierrolls permitting the detachment of the lap roll to be derived in asimple manner from the motion of the racks without specially controlledmembers or the danger of a double detachment of the lap. Thereby, also aspecial device or a motor for the accelerated motion of the flutedfrontal carrier rolls can be dispensed with.

The same advantage can be obtained by a change speed motor whereby theupward movement of the racks is efiected at a greater speed than thedownward one. Such an arrangement has also the advantage that adjacentto the bottom position of the racks in consequence of the lower speed alesser amount of momentum than normally has to be consumed by means ofbraking. Such an advantage can be obtained with a pneumatic or hydraulicmotor with which the working fluid is suit ably throttled during thedownward movement whereas with upward displacement no throttling isapplied.

Double detachments can also be averted by an embodiment with which theempty weight roll between the lowmost calender roll and the rear flutedcarrier roll is temporarily lifted from its operational position by theupwardly moving racks through the medium of abutments, whereas withtheir downward movement it is re- 'turned 'in'to its operationalposition.

I with thefrieWautomaticlapdoifer the lap rod may 'be provided with a"sleeve the friction coefficient of the I mantle surface of which hasbeen increased: by means of flutin'g, milling or turning-in, or by anyother suitable complete or partial machining, or by means of covering itwith ar'n'ate'rial of increased friction coefficient '(e.g. rubber,paper etc.), or in any other suitable mannerl- The lap is wrapped on orwound onto this sleeve. Thereby the initial portion of the lap roll isenabled to suitably adhere to the mantle'surfa'ce having increased'frictioning qualities; Thus, the wrapping on or reversal of the initiallap roll layers and therewith also the draft thereof is rendered moreappropriate. The lap roll is transferred to the cards together with thesleeve. The disadvantage of the lap rod being hardly able or quiteunable to be removed from the lap roll because of the interior of thelap roll adhering too much to the lap rod is obviated thereby as well.By such an arrangement also the delay of the braking action due to theaforesaid adhering is eliminated and the evenness of the lap enhanced.The lap wound on the sleeve runs down on the cards better than from thehitherto applied lap rods. V

In its broadest terms, however, the invention refers to an automaticdofling mechanism or lap dotfer for lap winding machines, of the typehaving rack means with rack heads performing upward and downwardmovements so as to doff or discharge a complete lap roll and to feed orintroduce an empty lap rod after a predetermined length of lap has beenobtained in which, in accordance with the main feature of the presentinvention, the rack means perform positive, reciprocal mo tion whereas atransmission gear with accelerating action is provided between the racksand a driving means of fluted carrier rolls for imparting an increasedcircumferential speed to the carrier rolls during the upward stroke ofthe rack means so as to cause detachment of the lap roll by means oftensioning the lap between the lap roll and the lap feeding means- Forthis purpose, the transmission gear, comprises a pair of oppositelypositive one way clutch means which permit the carrier rolls to berotated intermittently at an increased speed while their driving meansresponsible for the rotation of the carrier rolls during the lap windingprocess is running on.

Further details of the present invention will be described by takingreference to the accompanying drawings which show, by way of example,several embodiments thereof. In the drawings:

'Fig. 1 is a side elevational view showing an embodiment of the deviceaccording to the invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 11-11 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic side elevational view of the rack motion andthe brake mechanism of such devices.

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 illustrate elevational and plan views, respectively,partly in section, of parts of the device shown in Fig. '1.

' Figs. 7, 8. and 9, Figs. 10, 11, 12, and 12a and Figs.

" 13"to 16, respectively,'rep resent three further embodi ments of thedevice for dofling the complete lap roll and'introducing the empty laprod.

Figs. 17 and 18 show a preferable embodiment of the reversal orwrapping-on mechanism according to the invention.

Fig. 19 is a side elevational view of the above mentioned sleeveas'applied to a lap rod.

Fig. 20 shows a cross-sectional view taken along the line XX--XX in Fig.19.

Like details are referred to by substantially the same referencenumerals throughout the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 3 has aframe 70 with a series of feed or calender rolls 71 to 74 and a pair offluted carrier rolls'17 and 18 which serve for introducing a lap aandfor winding it up onto a lap rod 29 with journals'30, respectively,as is well known in the pertinent art. The feed or calender rolls 71 to74 are driven in a not represented ye't'well known manner by anassociated picker.

The carrier rolls 17 and 18 have rotational motion imparted theretolikewise by the picker which the represented lap-dotting machine isassociated with. The driving connection between the not representedpicker and the illustrated lap-dofiing machine is indicated 'by adriving belt 75. This is engaged with a belt pulley 76 the shaft 77 ofwhich has a gear 78 fixed to it which is the first member of a series ofgears 78 to 82 transmitting the rotational motion of the pulley 76 tothe rear carrier roll 18 by means of a gear 26. The frontal carrier roll17 of the pair of fluted carrier rolls 17 and 18 receives its rotationalmotion by means ofgears 24 and 25 from the gear 26.

The conventional racks 7a with their heads 7 are ar ranged on and guidedin the frame 70 so as to be displaceable in a vertical direction as iswell known in the art and therefore not represented as to its details.The racks 7a have reciprocal motion imparted thereto by an electricmotor 6 of the reversible rotation type by means of a series of meshinggears 8 to 10 the last member 10 of which engages with teeth 83 of theracks 7a. The shaft 19 ofthe gear 20 is at the same time the shaft of aper se known brake mechanism to be described hereinafter and has afurther gear 23 loosely arranged on it which meshes with the gear 24meshing, in turn, with the gears 25 and 26 of the carrier rolls .17 and18. Thus, the latter have a double driving system the branches orsub-systems of which are rendered independent of one another by ratchetmechanisms inserted in each of the driving subsystems 75 to 82 and 8, 9,10, 23, respectively.

One of these ratchet mechanisms is shown in Fig. 2. The disk 20 withgear 9 on its periphery is keyed to the a shaft 19 whereas the gear 23is running loosely. The

provided on the shaft 86 of the gears 81 and 82. If the double'system ofdriving means is running in the direction of the solid arrows 87,obviously the speed of the carrier rolls 17 and 18 cannot be lower thanthat which corresponds to the speed of the system 75 to 81 since below.the limit value the ratchet mechanism 84 and 85 forms a positivedriving connection between the gears 81 and 82.

"On'the other hand, if the system 8 to 9 is running in the reversedirection indicated by dotted arrow 88, the ratchet mechanism 21 and 22is rendered idle since then the pawls 21 skip over the teeth of thewheel 22. If, however, the system 8 to 9 is running in the directionindicated by the solid arrow 12y the ratchet mechanism 21 and 22 engagesand the carrier rolls 17 and 18 are driven by means of gears 23, 24, 25and 26, respectively, at an elevated speed and at the same time theracks 7a are lifted. Then the ratchet mechanism 84' and 85 is renderedidle.

' Apair of arms 33 with notchesron the upper portion of the frame 70serves for holding a new or empty lap rod 29a with journals 30a in itspreparatory position.

gether with the operational sequence of dofling a lap roll.

(l) Lifting and lmvering the racks, releasing and putting on the brake,lifting of the drop levr.-After a predetermined amount or length of lapa has been ob V 27 in Fig.

weight and of an additional weight 1a through the medium of one of theknown counter devices into a position shown in Fig. 3. A brake pedal 3is by means of a rod 2 pushed down and an electric push button 4 pressedupon. The brake pedal 3 is locked in this position by means of a pawl 5aprovided with a counterweight 5. Upon closing the contacts of the pushbutton 4 a remote control switch of the electric motor 6 (Fig. 1) isturned on whereupon the latter raises the rack heads 7 with their racks7a by means of gears 8, 9 and 10. With the racks 7a moving upwards thelever 1 is raised by a yielding abutment 11 arranged on one of the racks7a through the medium of a one-armed lever 12 and a rod 2 and is broughtinto its original or initial position (indicated by dotted lines in Fig.3). in the topmost position of the racks the upper portion of anabutment 13 attached thereto presses on a push button 14 (Fig. 3)whereby the rotation of the electric motor 6 becomes reversed.Thereupon, the latter causes the racks 7a to move downwards. When thedownmost position of the rack 7a is reached, the remote control switchof the electric motor is displaced into its break position since thebottom portion of the abutment 13 presses on a push button 15. At thesame time, the pawl 5a is rotated in the counterclockwise direction byan abutment 16 attached to one of the racks 7a. The brake pedal 3 islifted thereby under the action of its counterweight 3a and the shoe 3bof the brake put on again. The play of upward and downward movements ofthe racks is at an end therewith (Fig. 3).

(2) Detachment of the lap roll.-This is eifected after obtaining thepredetermined amount or length of lap by emporarily imparting a higherrotational speed than normal to fluted carrier rolls17 and 18 wherebythe lap a reaks at a; (Fig. 1). Both aforesaid, carrier rolls haveaccelerated rotational motion imparted thereto by a disk 29 keyed to thebrake disk shaft 19. During the upward movement of the racks 7a the disk20 is driven by the electric motor 6 through the medium of pawls 21, ofthe gear 23 running idly on the shaft 19 and forming a constructionalunit with the ratchet wheel 22, and of gears 24, 25 and 26 (Fig. l). Thegears 25 and 26 are driven during the downward movement of the racks 7aand while forming the lap roll in a manner known per so by gears 78 to82 and a one-way clutch driven, in turn, by the not represented picker(see US. Patent No. 1,734,320) by means of the belt 75 and the pulley76. Since, during lap formation and during the downward movement of theracks, the ratchet wheel 22 has a high r rotational speed than the pawls21, the latter skip over the indentations or teeth of the former. Thepawls 21 and ratchet wheel constitute a one-way clutch which isoppositely positive to the clutch in the drive from the picker. 7

(3) Dofiing the complete lap roll and feeding or introducing a new orempty lap r0a'.--During the upward movement of the racks 7a the lefthandarms of doublearmed levers 27 journalled in the racks 7a and urged inthe clockwise direction by springs to be described hereracks 7a.

inafter strike against the journals 30 of the lap rod 29 which supportsthe already detached lap roll. Thereby the double-armed levers 27 arerotated against the action of the aforesaid springs in thecounterclockwise direction till they strike against the racks and formeach an inclined guide rail or slide (see the position of the arm 1illustrated by solid lines). The lap roll 28 glides by means of thejournals 36 of the lap rod 29 along the aforesaid slides into apron 31.As soon as the journals 30 of the lap rod 29 have left the lever arms27, the latter are again rotated by the aforesaid springs.

in the clockwise direction so that they form slides or guide railsinclined toward the racks (see the upper position of the arms 27 in Fig.l illustrated by dotted lines).

" In this angularly displaced position the double-armed levers are, bymeans of a locking mechanism duly described by taking reference to Figs.4, 5 and 6, insured against and prevented from tilting down.

With further upward movement of the rack heads 7 their rounded ofi upperportions or surfaces strike against the journals 30a of the preparatorylap rod 29a supported by supports 33 whereby the former becomeshorizontally pushed ofi its rest position and lifted. Thus, the new orempty lap rod 29a drops along the front surfaces of the rack heads 7onto the lefthand (long) arms of the double-armed levers 27 and rollstherealong under the action of the gravitational force down to the racks7a. In order to prevent an angular displacement of the arms 27 under theaction of the dropping lap rod 29a during the downward movement of theracks 7a the arms 27 have to be locked as illustrated in Figs. 4 to 6.The reversal of the motion of the racks takes place by means of areversal switch after the new or empty lap rod 29a has been lifted fromits rest position. Thus, the empty lap rod 29a the journals 351a ofwhich lie between the downwardly moving racks 7a and the double-armedlevers 27 reaches the initial portion of the lap 11 which has meanwhilearrived between the fluted carrier rolls 17 and 13. At the same time,the double-armed levers 27 are unlocked by means of an abutment 40amounted on the machine frame 71) in a manner illustrated in Figs. 4, 5and 6, so that the double-armed levers 27 are again ready to discharge acomplete lap roll 28. The breaking of the supply circuit of the electricmotor 6 and the braking of the racks 7a is then performed exactly in thesame manner as has been described by taking reference to Fig. 3.

The levers 27 are locked by means of forklike branches 27b thereof(Figs. 4, 5 and 6). The double-armed levers 27 are angularly displaced,by means of springs 34 in the above described manner in the clockwisedirection. After the complete lap roll 28 has been dotted, thedoublearmed levers 27 which have snapped up under the action of thesprings 34 have to be locked in an upper position so as to prevent theirangular displacement in the opposite direction caused by the new orempty lap rod 29a when arriving thereon. For this purpose, there arebolts 37 supported by bearings 36 which are attached to the The bolts 37have pins 37a fixed thereto which engage with longitudinal slots of hellcrank levers 39. After the lap roll 28 has been doffed an abutment 40causes the bell crank levers 39 to shift the bolts 37 in below the forks27b. The arms 27 thus being locked, the new or empty lap rod 29a issafely supported by means of its journals 30a. In close proximity to thelowrnost position of the racks 7a the bell crank levers 39 are rotatedin the counter-clockwise direction by means of the abutments 40a fixedto the frame 70 of the machine; Thus, the bolts 37 are shifted in therighthand direction whereby the double-armed levers 27 become unlockedor released.

Figs. 7 to 9 and 10, 11 as well as 12 and 12a, respectively, showfurther preferred embodiments of the lap roll dofling and lap rodinserting levers of the lap dotfer. Preferred embodiments of the armssupporting the new or empty lap rod in its preparatory position areshown as .well.

Fig. 7 represents one of the racks 7a and one of the doubled-armedlevers 27 in the position which the same occupy directly before doflingthe complete lap roll 28. The double-armed levers 27 are rotatablymounted on journals 27a fixed to the racks 7a and form, occupying anoutwardly inclined position under the action of their dead weights, eacha guide-rail or slide in a manner well known in the art. The levers 27occupy their lowermost position associated with discharging the completelap roll 28. I

The racks 7:: as well asthe double-armed levers-27 formed as guide railsor arms occupy each-a position close to their topmost positions as theirmotional direction changes in the position shown in Fig. 8; After thecompiete lap roll.28 has slipped out of. the. machine along thedouble-armed levers 27 formed as guide rails 'or arms, the upwardlytravelling arms 27b thereof strike against roller abutments 41 fixed tothe frame 70 of the machine, whereby the double-armed levers 27 becomerotated around the journals 27a in the clockwise direction. 7 Thus, thelevers 27 occupy their position illustrated in Fig. 8. In this positionthe levers 27 become fixed or locked by means ofpawls 43 mounted forrotation on journals 42 and illustrated in Fig. 9. x In operation of theembodiment shown in Figs. 7 to 9, the empty lap rod 2% lies by means ofits journals 39a in the notches of the arms 33 so as to occupy itspreparatory position. The suitably formed noses 7b of the upwardlymoving rack heads 7 strike against the journals 30a of the empty lap rod29a whereby the latter becomes lifted from and tilted out of,respectively, the notches -and is thus displaced onto the levers 27where it rolls, during the downward movement of the racks 7a, down intoa position indicated by dot-dash lines (Fig. 8). The empty lap rod 29awill, by means of. the downwardly moving racks 7a, be carried along inthe direction of its working position between the fluted carrier rolls17 and Immediately before reaching the lowmost position, the arms 36a ofbell crank levers 43 formed as pawls and urged in the clockwise sense bysprings 45 anchored'to journals 44 strike against abutments 46 fixed tothe frame 70 of the machine. Thus, the pawls'43 rotate in thecounter-clockwise direction and release the arm extensions 27b. Thelevers 27 are through their greater dead weights again displaced intotheir initial position (see Fig. 7). The rotational movement of the bellcrank ,levers 36a. is limited by abutments 47. I V

Fig. 10 illustrates a double-armed lever 52 mounted .forrotation aroundjournal 51,fixed to the frame 70 of the machine. In a notch of its arm52a there is accommodated one journal 30a of the empty lap rod 29a inits preparatory position. Springs 53 urge the lever arm 52b so as torotate'in the clockwise direction. Its rotational motion is limited inthis direction by abutment 54 fixed to the frame 70 of'the machine.'Each of the rack heads 7 has an abutment 7c fixed to it which, withupward movement of the racks 7a, strikes against the arm 52and rotatesit against the action of its spring 53 in the counter-clockwisedirection. The journals 30a of the lap rod 29a tilting down in theaforesaid manner strike against the noses 7b of the rack heads 7 whichlift the lap rod out of the notches and let it drop onto the levers 27(Fig. 11). The curved portions 27b of the arms 27 permit the same to beapproached to the rack heads 7 was to prevent the journals 30a ofthedropping lap rod 29a from going through between the levers 27 and therack heads 7 at the time of dropping. I

During the downward movement of the racks 7a the double-armed levers 52are displaced by the springs 53 :into their original or initialpositions. Because of the weight of the laprod 29a the curved portions27b of the levers 27 are pressed against the roller abutments 41 wherebythe front portions of the levers 27 again withdraw from the rack heads 7and the lap rod 29a rolls down along the lever arms 27 quite up to theracks 7a so as to occupy a position indicated in Fig. 10 by dotand-dashlines.

The advantage of the means for supporting and inserting the empty laprod 29a as described'by taking reference to Figs. 10 and 11 consists inthat the lift of the racks 7a and the duration of the accelerated motionof the fluted carrier rolls '17 and 18, respectively, is renderedshorter. The danger of a double detachment of the lap is eliminatedthereby. Thus, the invention enables the second motor which, with theknown devices, was necessary for detachment of the lap roll 28, to bedispensed with whereby the construction is rendered still in'ore simple.

of the motor, first the winding associated with higher rotational speedis switched on whereas with reversal,

ii.e. with downward movement of the racks 7a, it is the windingassociated with lower rotational speed which is put in circuit. Thus,the time period of the accelerated motion of the fluted carrier rolls 17and 18 causing the detachment of the lap roll 28 is shortened wherebyalso double detachments of the lap a are excluded. 1

Fig. 12 illustrates a still more developed embodiment of the inventionallap dotfer' the lift of the racks 7a of which is decreased in that thearms 52a adapted to support the lap rod 29 in its preparatory positionand journalled at 51 to the frame 70 of the machine are rotated againstthe action of the springs 53 in the counterclockwise direction duringthe downward movement of the rack heads 7 rather than carried along bythe latter while moving'upwards. Thereby, the upward movement of therack heads 7 may be reversed immediately after the complete lap roll 28has been discharged.

For this purpose, the rack heads 7 are provided each with ratchet means55 working as a draw-hook whereas the levers 52b supporting the journals30a of the preparatory or empty lap rod 29a.have each an additional arm56. The draw-hook 55 is urged by means of its inagainst the arms 56. Thedraw-hooks 55, however, being elastic skip over the latter. Withdownward movement of the rack heads 7 the draw-hooks 55 cause the arms52a by means of their arms 56 to rotate in the counterclockwisedirection so that the lap rod 29a occupying its preparatory positionupon the former is tilted likewise in the counter-clockwise direction.Because of this rotational movement, the journals 30a of the preparatorylap rod 29a strike against the front surfaces of the rack heads 7. Inconsequence hereof, the lap rod 29a slides from the notches of the arms52a onto the levers 27 mounted on the racks 7a wherefrom it arrives inits working position as has been described by taking reference to Figs.10 and 11. As soon as the arms 52a have forwarded the preparatory laprod 29a to the levers 27, the extremities of the arms 56 slip olf thedraw-hooks 55. Thereupon, the arms 52a snap back under the action of thesprings 53 into their topmost positions. The upward displacement of thearms 52:: is limited by means of abutments 57. V

With the above described embodiment the racks have to cover a path onlywhich is neccssary for discharging the complete lap roll 28 since'thenthe draw-hooks 55 have already skipped over the arms 56 so that afurther upward movement may be dispensed with.

By such an arrangement, that is by decreasing the lift of the racks 7aprincipally a gain of time is obtained,

since the time ratio of the upward movement with respect to the totalmovement of the racks 7a is substantially less than it was with theknown devices. The possibility of a control of the detachment of thecomplete lap roll 28 through the medium of the motion, of the racks 7ais enhanced thereby. 7

Figs. 13 and 14 represent a particularly simple-and reliable embodimentof the device for introducing the empty lap rod 29a, supported in itspreparatory position in :the notches of the arms 33 arranged on theframe 70, is lifted by the inclined portions 712 of the upwardly movingrack heads 7 and thus displaced onto the sloping slides 58 fixed to theframe 70 of. the machine. The lap rod'29a is prevented from furtherdisplacement by the rackheads'7 as long as thelower extremity of thelatter Th same bj t of the invention, that is a simplegjf i reaehes apositionwhich is above the sloping slides 58 "aeaaero by a distanceequal to the diameter of the lap rod journals 39a. As soon as the rackheads 7 have reached a position of such a level, the lap rod 29a glidesalong the unblocked slides 53 into notches 59 of the racks 7a. The upperedges of the notches 59 have meanwhile reached the level of the bottomedges of the slides 58 (see Fig. 14). The reversal of the motionaldirection of the racks 7a occurs at the same time therewith and thus theempty lap rod 29a lying already in the notches 59 is brought into itsoperational position.

In this case, the dofiing or discharging of the complete lap roll 28 isefiected in the hereinafter described manner (Figs. 15 and 16): Tongues61 mounted for rotation on journals 69 of the upwardly moving racks 7astrike against the journals 30 of the lap rod 29 supporting the completelap roll 28. The tongues 61 are thereby rotated against the action ofsprings 62 in the clockwise direction till their outer extremities cometo rest on the outer walls of the notches 59. The journals 3% or" thelap rod 29 supporting the complete lap roll 23 then slide downwardsalong the inclined tongues 61 and thus arrive on the sloping arms 27fixed to the outer wall portions of the notches 59. The lap roll 28 islifted thereby from its position between the fluted carrier rolls 17 and18 and discharged into the apron 31 in a manner well known to thoseskilled in the art.

After the journals 3% have, while moving downward, parted with thetongues 61, the latter are brought by the springs 62 again into theirmedial position. Thereby the path of the journals Elia of the empty laprod 29a to the notches 59 is again rendered accessible. The empty laprod 2% has, in the above described manner, been brought into itsoperational position, the tongues 61 strike against the journals Ettaand become tilted upwardly against theaction or" the springs 63 in thecounter-clockwise direction thereby. However, with further downwardmovement of the tongues 61 with the racks 7a their upper edges part withthe journals 313a and they are caused by springs 63 to resume theirmedial position. Then the device is again ready for dolling the nextcomplete lap roll 28.

In order to wrap on the initial portion of the lap roll around the laprod, the latter was already fluted with some or" the known devices. Sucha fiuting caused, however, the lap to be wound onto the lap rod sotightly that the removal of the latter from within the finished lap rollwas either impossible or could be effected only by damaging the initiallap roll layers. In order to mitigate or ease the tightness of a tootight winding up on the lap rod the braking has been delayed as regardsthe initial portions of the lap roll. Yet, such a delay of the brakingaction had adisadvantageous effect on the evenness of the initialportions of the lap; If, however, a sleeve is applied, the outer surfaceof which offers, by fluting or machining whatever, or by providing asuitable cover, a high friction coeficient, the lap rod can be withdrawntherefrom without any difficulties. Consequently, by the use of such asleeve the aforesaid disadvantage, the delay of the braking action andalso the technological disadvantages connected therewith are allobviated.

The lap a may be reversed or wrapped-on onto the empty lap rod 290 by amechanism the working principle of which is, in accordance with thepresent invention, the same as that applied when effecting the reversalor wrapping-on by hand-operation. Such an embodiment of the reversalmechanism, as shown in Figs. 17 and 18, substantially consists of awrapping organ formed as an edged wrapping rod 89 and rotatably arrangedwith respect to the frontal carrier roll 17 in spaced apart relationshipthereto. The wrapping rod 89 is supported by a pair of one-armed levers90 journalled at 91 to curved link rods 92 which are, in turnjournalledat 93 to a gear 17. Curved guide means 96 serve for guidingthe levers 90 by means of rollers 97 so as to follow up the curvatureIre ofv the mantle of the carrier roll 17 when displaced around theshaft thereof whereby also the curved link rods 92 are held adjacent tothe carrier roll 17. The dimensions are selected so that the edge 98 ofthe wrapping rod 89 contacts with the lap a at a generatrix of the laprod 29a which lies at a level above the axial centre-line 99 of the laprod 29a. Thus, the force acting on the wrapping rod 89 due to an angulardisplacement of the curved link rods 92 in the clockwise sense asregards the drawing has a component by which the wrapping rod 89 ispassed over the lap rod 29a on and along the mantle thereof.

- The gear 94 meshes with a gear 109 the shaft 101 of which has a beltpulley 102 fixed to it. This is connected by means of a belt 193 to apulley 104 keyed to the shaft of an electric motor 105 of the reversibletype.

The circuit of the motor 105 is closed by a pushhntton switch 1%arranged on the frame 76 of the machine and actuated by the abutment 13close to the lowmost position of the rack heads 7 (see Fig. 3'). Thepush-button 137 of the switch 106 is articulated so as to withstand andyield when acted upon in the downward and upward direction,respectively. An abutment 108 on the gear 94 serves for actuating areversing push-button switch 109 fixed to the frame 70 of the machine.Finally, a push-button switch 110 is actuated by an abutment 111 formedat the lower extremity of one of the curved link rods 92. I

. In operation, the rack head 7 with the abutment 13 arriving in theproximity of its lowermost position actuates the push-button switch 106by means of the abutment 13 whereupon the electric motor is set intorotation as indicated by an arrow 112. Thereby also the gear 94 startsrotating in the clockwise sense and causes the system 89 to 92 to beangularly displaced in the same direction. Thus, the wrapping rod 89arrives at a position wherein it reaches below the lap a coming from theopposite direction and emerging from between the lap rod 29a and thefrontal carrier roll 17 (see position 113 illustrated by dot-dashlines). Then the free end of the lap a is passed over the lap rod 29aand becomes wrapped thereon or reversed by a force which results fromthe dead-weight of the wrapping rod 89 and the force exerted by thesystem 89 to 92 (see position 114 represented likewise by dot-dashlines). The wrapping rod 89 occupies thereby its completely collapsedposition. The time needed therefor is amply sufiicient for enabling thelap a to be suitably wrapped-on or reversed and thus to initiate theforming of a lap roll 23 of the desired quality. 7

Meanwhile the abutment 16S actuates the push-button switch 109 wherebythe rotation of the electric motor 105 becomes reversed. The gear 94 nowrotates in the opposite direction as indicated by the arrow 87 andcauses the system 89 to 92 to resume its initial position represented bysolid lines. At the end of this reverse angular displacement theabutment 111 strikes against the pushbutton switch 110 whereby thecircuit of the electric motor 195 becomes interrupted and the abovedescribed cycle may start again when the abutment 13 actuates thepush-button switch 106 at the next descending movement of the rack heads7.

The advantage of such a working principle of the lap reversing mechanismis that the free extremity of the lap a is introduced between the rearcarrier roll 18 and the lap rod 29a when the racks 7a have alreadyfinished their downward movement and rest with all their weight on thejournals 30a of the lap rod 29a.

The time period of the temporarily accelerated motion of the carrierrolls may be shortened by releasing a clutch which is inserted in theaccelerating gear mechanism between the racks 7a and the carrier rolls17 and 18. The clutch is constantly engaged or actuated and isautomatically released by an abutment on one of thegracks 7a only whenthe latter moves upwards after the lap a has been detached. Afterreleasing the clutch, the normal drive of the carrier rolls 17 and 18 isagain started the operation of which during the downward movement of theracks 7a cannot be disturbed by recoupling the clutch any more. Viz.,the pawls 21 (Fig. 1) travelin opposite direction with respect to theratchet wheel 22 and thus are unable to engage with the indentations orteeth thereof. The clutch may be of any releasable type such as anelectromagnetic coupling.

Figs. 19 and 20 show a sleeve 89 applied to a lap rod 2%. It is arrangedintermediate the lap rod 29:: and the lap roll 28. Obviously, the sleeveis mounted for rotation on said lap rod 29a as if it were a shaft whichis axially retractable therefrom. The sleeve is provided with a flutedsurface so as to enable the lap to adhere to it when reversed or wrappedon.

The mechanism mentioned above and provided for lifting the empty weightroll 123 is referred to by reference characters 120 to 122 of which 120denotes a pair of single-anned levers, 121 abutments fixed to the racks7a and 122 rollers fixed to the levers 129 and adapted.

to engage with the weight roll 123 so as to lift it at the end of theupward movement of the racks 7a.

What I claim is: 1. In an automatic dofling mechanism or lap dofier forlap winding machines of the type having lap feeding means forintroducing a lap to be wound, carrier rolls and transmission gearingmeans provided between said rack means and said driving means adapted toimpart an increased circumferential speed to said carrier rolls duringthe upward movement of said rack means so as to cause detachment of saidlap roll by means of tensioning said lap between said lap roll and saidlap feeding means, the improvement which consists in that means areprovided for dofiing or discharging said complete lap roll andintroducing said empty laprod, said means consisting of a single pair ofarms journalled to said rack means and adapted to form an outwardlysloping slide or guide rail by being tilted downwards under the actionof the dead weight of one member of the group consisting of said armsand said complete lap roll so as to dofi or discharge said complete laproll during the upward movement of said rack means, and to form a slideor guide rail inclined towards said racks in the topmost position andduring the downward movement of said rack means for introducing saidempty lap rod.

2. An automatic doffing mechanism or lap doifer for lap winding machinesas claimed in claim 1, wherein means are provided for decreasing the*time period of the upward movement of said rack means with respect tothe time period of their downward movement by increasing their speed attheir upward movement and for automatically changing such an increasedspeed to a lower speed associated with the downward movement 1 at theirupward movement and to return it into its opera tional position withtheir downward movement so as to prevent a double detachment of saidlap.

4. An automatic dotting mechanism or lap doffer for lap winding machinesas claimed in claim 1, wherein yielding means, formed by'at least onemember of the group consisting of springs, counter-weights, abutmentsand control members, are provided for enabling said outwardly inclinedarms for doffng or discharging said complete lap roll to' be adjustedfrom this position into said position inclined towards said rack meansfor introducing said empty lap rod. 7

5. In an automatic dofiing mechanism or lap doffer for lap windingmachines as claimed in claim 1, further comprising means for lockingsaid arms in their inwardly inclined position while feeding said emptylap rod.

6. In an automatic dofiing mechanism or lap dotfer for lap windingmachines as claimed in claim 1, further comprising means for enablingsaid empty lap rod to be fed into its operational position entirelyduring the downward movement of said rack means so as to decrease thelift of the latter.

7. In an automatic doffing mechanism or lap doffer for lap windingmachines as claimed in claim 1, the improvement which consists in thatsaid driving means comprises a change speed motor having a high speedwinding and means for energizing said high speed winding upon upwardmovement of said rack means.

8. In an automatic dofling mechanism or lap doifer for lap windingmachines as claimed in claim 1, the improvement which consists in thatmeans are provided for decreasing the time period of the upward movementof said rack means by means of one offthe eXpedients consisting ofimparting an acceleration to the upward movement of said rack meansanddecreasing'the'lift thereof;

' 9. In an automatic dofiing'mechanism or lap dofier for lap windingmachines as claimed in claim 8, the improvement which consists in thatmeans are provided for terminating the upward movement of said rackmeans in dependence of dofling said complete lap roll. I

10. In an automatic doffing'mechanism or lap dolfer for lap windingmachines as claimed in claim 1, the improvement which consists in thatsaid dotnng mechanism consists of a pair of arms fixed to the heads ofsaid rack means, one of said arms being kept in a medial position bymeans of springs.

, 11. In an automatic dolfing mechanism or lap doffer for lap windingmachines as claimed in claim 10, the improvement which consists in thata feeding path fo'r guiding said empty lap rod is fixed to the frame ofsaid lap winding machine for guiding said empty laprod to the notches ofthe racks. a i

12. Inan automatic dofling mechanism or lap doifer for lap windingmachines as claimed in claim 1, the improvement which consists inthatmeans are provided for wrapping-on the free extremity of said laponto a new or empty lap rod after said complete lap roll has beendetached and dofied or discharged, said wrapping-on means havingindividual driving means adapted to be con- J lap winding machines asclaimed in claim 12, wherein said wrapping-on means consist of an edgedrod means guided in spaced apart relationship with respect to the mantleof one of said carrier rolls and supported 'by articulated link rodmeans arranged for angular displacement around the shaft of oneof saidcarrier rolls, said individual driving means having control meansadapted to enable said edged wrapping rod to contact .with said freeextremity of said lapto be wrapped-on at a level above the longitudinalcentre-line of said empty lap rod so as to pass said free extremityabove said empty lap rod on and along its mantle and to introduce itbetween the other one of said carrier rolls and said empty lap rod, andto resume its initial position after wrapping-on has been effected. i ia 14. An automatic lap dotfer for lap'winding machines having, incombination, lap feeding means for introducing a lap to be wound,carrier rolls for supporting and rotating a lap roll while being formedof said lap, driving means 13 for imparting uniform rotational motion tosaid carrier rolls, vertically shiftable rack means, reversible motormeans for imparting positive reciprocal vertical motion to said rackmeans, control means actuated by said rack means and adapted to reversesaid reversible motor means in the dead-center positions of said rackmeans, a pair of oppositely positive one-way clutch means one of thembeing inserted between said carrier rolls and said reversible motor forimparting increased rotational speed to said carrier rolls with respectto said uniform rotational motion when said rack means perform theirupward stroke so as to tension and detach said lap between said lap rolland said lap feeding means, and the other positive one-way clutch meansof said pair of oppositely positive one-way clutch means being insertedin said driving means for permitting said carrier rolls to be rotated atan increased speed with respect to said uniform rotational speed whilesaid driving means is running on, and transfer means on said rack meansfor dofling said lap roll from and introducing an empty l'ap rod betweensaid carrier rolls after a predetermined length of lap has been suppliedby said lap feeding means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,204,517 Steinacker Nov. 14, 1916 1,734,302 Ramsdell NOV. 5, 19292,037,348 Stein Apr. 14, 1936

